Systematic Analysis of Known and Candidate Lysine Demethylases in the Regulation of Myoblast Differentiation

Histone methylation dynamics plays a critical role in cellular programming during development. For example, specific lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) and lysine demethylases (KDMs) have been implicated in the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into various cell lineages. However, a systematic and functional analysis for an entire family of KMT or KDM enzymes has not been performed. Here, we test the function of all the known and candidate KDMs in myoblast and osteoblast differentiation using the C2C12 cell differentiation model system. Our analysis identified that LSD1 is the only KDM required for myogenic differentiation and that KDM3B, KDM6A, and KDM8 are the candidate KDMs required for osteoblast differentiation. We find that LSD1, via H3K4me1 demethylation, represses the master regulator of osteoblast differentiation RUNX2 to promote myogenesis in the C2C12 model system. Finally, MLL4 is required for efficient osteoblast differentiation in part by countering LSD1 H3K4me1 demethylation at the RUNX2 enhancer. Together, our findings provide additional mechanisms by which lysine methylation signaling impacts on cell fate decisions.